Football
Features
ESPN ready to hit ground running as Bundesliga partnership in US kicks off
ESPN is putting on major marketing effort to promote its new media-rights deal with German top flight league while also focusing on wider long-term content initiatives. Bob Williams reports
Premier League takes pride of place on Peacock as NBCU’s key weapon in streaming wars
NBCUniversal is actively looking to utilize NBC Sports' premium properties to attract subscribers to its new streaming service and help differentiate the platform from its rivals in the crowded and competitive direct-to-consumer marketplace.
MLS expansion to St. Louis pushes city’s USL Championship team to cease operations
Due to the financial impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and the absence of any buyers amid the pending arrival of another pro soccer team to the Midwest US market, executives for the USL's Saint Louis FC decided it did not make any sense for the team to continue beyond this campaign. Bob Williams reports
Pepsi sponsorship chief Warner says revamped Champions League delivered ‘comparable value’
PepsiCo’s senior director for global sports marketing, Adam Warner, commends Uefa for finding 'different sources of value' in this year reformatted Men's Champions League and explains why the brand has decided to expand its relationship with the governing body to include women's club and national competitions. Ben Cronin reports.
Matthew Glendinning | Making commercial sense of a Messi move
Matthew Glendinning, editor of SportBusiness Sponsorship, asks whether the hundreds of millions of euros required to lure wantaway superstar Lionel Messi from Barcelona can be justified from a commercial or brand equity point of view for the buying club.
Digiturk yet to pay first quarter of Süper Lig fee as FX issue resurfaces
Digiturk, the Turkish pay-television subsidiary of beIN Media Group, is yet to pay the first 25 per cent of its fee for the broadcast rights to the 2020-21 Turkish Süper Lig as an issue over the exchange …
Canal Plus makes legal challenge to Mediapro’s Téléfoot demands
French pay-television broadcaster Canal Plus has initiated legal proceedings in a complaint over the ‘unequal’ treatment it feels is being meted out by agency and production group Mediapro in carriage tal…
LT signs up as Villa sleeve sponsor, Acronis adds Southampton to European portfolio
English Premier League club Aston Villa has signed Asian betting operator LT as the club’s new shirt sleeve sponsor.
Bundesliga offers broadcasters IP-based streaming, Claro and Band secure rights
The German Football League (DFL) is providing its international rights-holding broadcasters with IP-based live streaming through its tie-up with Amazon Web Services, the cloud computing subsidiary of Amazon
Borussia Dortmund woos Chinese fans with virtual summer tour
SportBusiness speaks to Benjamin Wahl, head of China at Borussia Dortmund, about the BVB Virtual Asia Tour, which emerged out of the ashes of disruption caused by the Covid-19 pandemic.
Having delivered the Champions and Europa League, Uefa must figure out media rebates
Evidence suggests record viewership for closed-door Uefa Champions and Europa League fixtures won't prevent broadcasters from demanding rebates for lost fixtures. Callum McCarthy examines how the governing body might approach negotiations.
New Mexico United sets unwanted precedent by having to play home games out of state
New Mexico United majority owner and president Peter Trevisani tells SportBusiness how the USL club has tried to deal with being forced on the road due to local Covid-19 health guidelines
Dato’ Windsor John | AFC focuses on ‘business continuity’ and supporting associations
SportBusiness spoke to Dato' Windsor John, general secretary of the Asian Football Confederation, about how the organisation has dealt with the Covid-19 pandemic and how it sees a brighter future, with a commercial rights contract getting underway and a Women's World Cup coming to the region in 2023.
Simon Green, BT Sport | Closed-door matches “not the product we paid for”
Simon Green, head of broadcaster BT Sport, talks about the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on media rights values and consumer habits and says closed-door sport is not the product the broadcaster paid for. Adam Nelson reports.
49ers ready to help Leeds United become “more of a global force”
NFL team the San Francisco 49ers are ready to play an active role in helping Leeds United become a Premier League force both on and off the field following the club's promotion to English soccer's top flight. SportBusiness speaks to 49ers Enterprises president Paraag Marathe.
Anthony Goddard & Gareth Smith | Sport bounces back on TV
Publicis Sport & Entertainment’s Anthony Goddard, head of media research, and Gareth Smith, media research manager, explain why the post-lockdown period has seen unprecedented and consistently high audiences for Sky Sports in the UK
Football Kenya celebrates KPL’s bumper BetKing title sponsorship
The president of the Football Kenya Federation (FKF), Nick Mwendwa has suggested gambling firm BetKing’s new title sponsorship deal for the Kenyan Premier League (KPL) can help the competition move past p…
“There’s a value opportunity” | Why investors are circling Serie A
As Serie A weighs up six proposals from private investors, Ben Marlow, managing director, Asia Pacific, for football consultancy firm 21st Club, explains the sudden interest in the league and tells editorial…
Serie A | Can new investors wake football’s sleeping giant?
Ben Marlow, managing director of 21st Club in Asia Pacific, looks at the rise and fall of Italian Serie A, and considers the ways in which the league can rise once again
Phil Carling | The Rise of Liverpool – From Super Club to Super Brand
Phil Carling, head of football at the Octagon agency, explains why the brand positioning of Premier League winners Liverpool as a club where ‘This Means More’ is key to unlocking its commercial potential
Doug Harmer | FFP: Strong leadership is now required by Uefa
In light of the recent developments concerning CAS's decision to overturn Uefa’s two-year Champions League ban on Manchester City, Doug Harmer, partner at Oakwell Sports Advisory, discusses the role of Uefa and navigating the fiscal challenges of a post-lockdown world
How Kevin Durant and Philadelphia Union both stand to benefit from NBA player’s minority stake
Philadelphia Union majority owner Jay Sugarman and Durant's business manager Rick Kleiman tell SportBusiness why Brooklyn Nets forward's investment in MLS team will be mutually beneficial and explain how the deal came about.
Jair Bolsonaro’s swipe at Globo injects yet more uncertainty into Brazilian football
The business of Brazilian club football is a minefield at the best of times, but a temporary change to the law by the country’s president Jair Bolsonaro has made it even trickier, especially for dominant media giant, Globo.
Simon Oliveira | Football without fans is nothing, until it becomes everything
Simon Oliveira, founder and managing director of KIN Partners, discusses how Covid-19 has forced a radical rethink in the relationship between clubs, leagues, broadcasters, players and fans
Building brand Vinícius | How Mediacom will market Brazil’s next superstar
After signing young Brazilian footballer Vinícius Jr. on a long-term management deal, Mediacom’s Misha Sher explains how the company wants to build him into a strong, culturally relevant and global brand that becomes an enterprise in its own right Kevin Roberts reports.
Matthew Glendinning | Reports of FFP’s demise after City ruling are exaggerated
Matthew Glendinning, editor of SportBusiness Sponsorship, believes Uefa’s Financial Fair Play rules will survive even after the Court of Arbitration for sport overturned the governing body's competition ban on Manchester City.
Protracted return for professional sport in China
Tom King looks at how China is getting its sporting calendar back on track, and how the global health crisis has affected some of the weaker industry players in the country.
United Soccer League ready to lay down “bold” marker with local market strategy
USL executive vice president Court Jeske speaks to SportBusiness about the opportunities and challenges of the USL Championship's return in home venues amid the Covid-19 pandemic.